The Red Dragon
by zeldris
Summary: AU. Lucy returns to Nottingham after seven years in London to find her kingdom in shambles at the hands of her childhood friend. With her deceitful cousin ruling the kingdom while her uncle away at war, Lucy must decide where her heart lies, with her people and the strange band of rebellious thieves, or with her cold manipulative cousin. (M to be safe...?)
1. the return

AU. Lucy returns to Nottingham after seven years in London to find her kingdom in shambles at the hands of her childhood friend. With her deceitful cousin ruling the kingdom while her uncle away at war, Lucy must decide where her heart lies, with her people and the strange band of rebellious thieves, or with her cold manipulative cousin.

The carriage gently rocked as Lucy attempted to take a short nap, 12 straight jostling hours certainly hadn't done her mentality any good. Not to mention the week long journey by vessel, oh now _that _was fun. Nonetheless, only a matter of minutes until she reached her home, her _real _home.

Lucy had not been to Nottingham since she was twelve years old, right before she had been shipped off to boot camp in London to become a proper lady of the law. Seven whole years were spent there, torturous balancing of books and respiratory system reducing corsets topping off the list of repetitive tasks that tempted you to throw yourself out the window. And it was finally all _over. _She could return to her country and live along side her uncle, who she had waited years to see once again.

When Lucy's father and mother died in an unfortunate accident, she mourned alongside her uncle, the king. He took her in like family and treated her well until her ladyship training, and she hadn't seen him since. She could have no contact with the outside world during her lessons, no word from her uncle or her kingdom. Last she'd heard, her kingdom had tensions with the country of Tululia, and she had no positive outlook on what became of those tensions. There was almost no doubt in her mind that a war had sprouted between them, and she only prayed that that war was finished by now.

The carriage went over a hump and Lucy felt herself rise momentarily before falling back into the seat. Carriage rides, to her, were most unpleasant. She preferred walking, however high her heels were.

It was midday outside, the suns light barely peeking in through the blood red curtains, but Lucy felt a jolt of nostalgia course through her veins as the familiar oak trees passed by and she smiled fondly, recalling playing tag as a child with the village children in the woods. She was undoubtedly excited to see them all again, they'd probably all be so different.

As a child, it was smiled upon by her uncle to fraternize with the village kids her age. She'd walk down to the towns and meet up with families, they were extremely kind to her. They would open their homes to her gratefully and share everything they had. It was a kindness she hoped to return if she ever became queen.

As the carriage came to a halt, Lucy was suddenly nervous. What if nobody remembered her? It'd been seven years, it wouldn't be too surprising…what if somebody she knew personally had died? Just how much had she missed?

"Princess?" A muffled voice inquired from outside the carriage. Lucy gathered herself quickly, wiping her worry away with a plastic smile on her doll-like features.

"C-coming!" She stuttered in a very un-princess like manner, unceremoniously grasping the folds of her dress so that she could exit the death trap.

She stumbled out, miscalculating the height of her heels with the height of the ground and tumbling forth, her dress pooling all around her like a halo of failure.

"Oh dear! Princess Lucy, are you alright?" The servant asked, bending down to her temporary height and offering his assistance with a reach of a hand.

"Erm, yes. Thank you." She said, graciously excepting the help that was offered and lifting herself off the dusty road. Unfortunately, her dress colorfully clung to the bits of dust and dirt and she viscously shook the fabric in an attempt to break the bonds.

"O-oh, Princess Lucy, your hair!" The servant called distressfully. Lucy's hand immediately flew to her up-do, which had been downgraded to a down-do.

"It's quite alright, I'll fix it, just give me a minute," she said politely, fruitlessly smoothing her wild blonde hair into the bun it used to be.

Satisfied with her half-assed try at fixing her hair, Lucy regained her composure and began the trek up to the palace gate, her bags being already taken care of by other palace servants.

The palace, just as her memory had served her, was magnificent, glistening from the grace of the sun and towering above all else. The smooth gray walls stood strong and proud, much like the king that ruled from inside. Lucy smiled and couldn't help herself as she eagerly raced to the entrance, ready to see everyone she had missed so much.

Instead, she was greeted with something much more unpleasant.

"Stop!" A harsh, low voice barked, halting Lucy in her tracks as she turned to face the speaker.

He looked down upon her with an almost evil sneer, like he couldn't wait to rip her a new one.

"Just _what _do you think you're doing?" He growled, prompting Lucy to shrink back unconsciously.

"I…was making my way to the castle…to see my uncle…" She confirmed softly, swallowing down the gulp the resided deep in her throat.

"Your uncle?" He asked amusedly, raising his, as Lucy just now noted, pierced eyebrow in mock belief. "Just who is this uncle of yours?"

Lucy was speechless. She didn't recognize this man, though he was obviously a member of the royal guard. He was strong and intimidating, as well as downright terrifying.

Finally, she spoke up. "My uncle is the _king_, now if you'll excuse me," she bit out, side stepping him and continuing past the open gate. He slammed his arm in front of her as fast as lightning, causing her to stumble once again.

"Sir Redfox, _please_, this is Princess Lucy, she is the king's cousin!" One of the servants behind her breathed out.

_Wait…cousin?_

Sir Redfox's face didn't change. "If you insist." He said through a tightened jaw, removing his arm so that Lucy could pass.

Lucy, although confusedly, walked past him, her mind whirring.

_Why would uncle ever hire such a cruel man? And why did they call me uncle's cousin?_

Lucy only had one cousin, seeing as how the king's wife died during a brief war and refused to remarry. His brother had one daughter, being Lucy herself, and his sister had one son…Zeref.

Lucy only vaguely remembered Zeref, he and her aunt stayed rather secluded, never speaking to her unless the time called for it. Though once Lucy recalled seeing Zeref from across the dining hall, watching her. It may had been her imagination pulling tricks on her, but he still always made a shiver run down her spine.

"Princess, you should announce your presence to the king." One of the servants suggested, pointing her to the throne room and forgetting that Lucy knew exactly where it was.

"Right." Lucy said, making a b-line for the throne room. She needed answers, and she needed them now.

Lucy pushed the large gilded doors to the throne room open with purpose, gliding in with all the silken poise she was gifted with from prep school.

Well…sort of, she liked to _think _she was graceful.

Lucy nearly stumbled _yet again_, it utter surprise at the figure that was slouched over in the mighty throne was most definitely _not _her uncle.

…But none other than her ludicrous cousin grinning at her like she was his latest unfortunate meal.

"_Dear_ cousin, welcome home."

Lucy took a double take and her jaw dropped to the floor disrespectfully. No way, no _way _was her sick cousin king, this _had _to be some sort of awful joke.

"Z-Zeref?!" Lucy asked, her voice shaky and unstable. Zeref's face turned sour and he sent a wicked glare at her.

"You will refer to me as _your highness_," he shot coldly. Lucy fought the urge to spit at him, and lowly bowed.

"Of course, _your highness_, may I ask as to where our uncle is currently?" Lucy asked gently, hoping not to hear the news she was dreading.

"Mm, of _course _you haven't heard, uncle has been away for some time now, those Tululians sure put up an excellent fight," he drawled, examining his hands like they were a thousand times more royal than uncle was.

"O-oh. I…didn't know…" Lucy admitted shyly, rubbing the skin of her pale forearm.

"Obviously." He snipped, looking away from her with pity. "Have one of the Ladies show her to her room," he excused, waving his hand towards the servants who nodded obediently.

Lucy stood in the middle of the room awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Zeref looked back at her, a bored look on his face that read '_oh, you're still here?_' and Lucy's face reddened.

"Well? What are you still doing here? Get on with it!" He snapped, ordering her away. Lucy bit her cheek to keep from impaling him with her shoe, and turned on her heel to exit the throne room, fuming.

When she assumed she was out of range, she let that fury go.

"The nerve of that little wanker! I oughta turn him inside out and beat him with an old paddle! _Idiot, imbecile-_"

"…Princess…?"

_Oh._

Lucy wiped her anger off of her face and replaced it with a warm smile instantly.

"Sorry, you seemed to have caught me at an off moment," Lucy admitted, pushing a strand of fallen blonde hair back behind her ear.

"I'll say. I'm Lady Levy Redfox," the small woman introduced, curtseying fluidly before stepping forward to take my hand.

"Hello, I'm Lucy." She replied, shaking the short woman's hand lightly. She smiled and motioned her to follow her up the staircase.

"Your room is on one of the top levels, it's not far from mine, so if you need anything, you can always come ask me!" She said exuberantly, her fluffy sky hair bouncing as she flew up the steps. Lucy had a bit more trouble, her heels were half as short as Levy, yet she couldn't balance for the life of her, even after seven years of practice.

"Wait…did you say…_Redfox_?" Lucy whispered, grabbing onto the staircase for support.

"Yes, he's technically only my fiancé, but he's been so busy lately we just haven't had time to make it official." She explained, examining the shimmering ring on her left hand with pride.

"But he…but he…" Lucy trailed off trying to think of a logical explanation as to why someone as kind as Levy would even _associate _with someone like Sir Redfox.

"Yes, he can be a bit…brash, but he's really rather kind, once you get to know him…" She assured anxiously. Lucy nodded subconsciously, embracing the arrival at the top of the steps.

"Alright, follow me, it's just down here." Levy said cheerfully.

"Uh…if you don't mind me asking, what…exactly…happened to uncle? Er…the king?" Lucy corrected quickly, not wanting to sound rude.

"That's right, you did miss quite a bit. About five or six years ago, Tululia snapped and attacked, damaging one of the southern villages, Locksley, I think it was…"

Lucy held in a gasp. She used to go to Locksley to play as a child, she wondered just how many were killed.

"Anyhow, the king and his private army went straight away to Tululia, and…they've been there since." Levy said a bit sadly.

"He's been there…for six y-years?" Lucy whimpered. Levy nodded gravely.

"We are still in contact with him though, but the contact is very rare, and his majesty isn't quite fond of his uncle." Levy said in a low voice.

"That's…good, I guess. Anything else going on here that I should know of?" Lucy said dryly, hoping to tie in a bit of sarcasm in her words. She hadn't been able to use that sort of sassy talk at school, she was all too eager to get back into the swing of things in Nottingham.

Levy laughed softly. "Times are…tough here. The village folk have been complaining about the taxes…a rebellion has sprung, Princess." She said in all due seriousness. They stopped in front of Lucy's door, but didn't make any move to open it.

"A rebellion," Lucy repeated curiously, no such thing had happened under her uncle's rule. Everybody adored her uncle, she could only assume the opposite for Zeref.

"Yes. A band of reckless thieves, who do nothing but cause trouble." Levy said, her voice raising a little bit with compassion.

"Really? Do they have any sort of…reason?" She interrogated. Levy shook her head.

"It's ridiculous. All they do is steal from those more fortunate than they." She waved off, opening Lucy's door hesitantly.

Lucy stopped for a second, turning back Levy. "Thank you. For your help."

Levy smiled brightly and nodded. "Of course! You can get all settled in, your bags are already here. I'll see you at dinner, all right?" Levy said, slowly shutting the door behind her.

"Bye Levy," she whispered just as the door _whooshed _shut.

Lucy sprung into action, yanking her death trap shoes off of her feet, sighing in satisfaction when her feet could breathe once again.

She wiggled her tiny toes before diving into one of her suitcases and throwing her boots on, eager to see all of her old friends from the villages.

It was all so exciting, and nerve wracking. If they didn't remember her, how embarrassing would that be? And even if they did recognize her, would they be happy to see her?

Lucy tried her best to push all doubts or worries to the very back of her mind, but still they lingered, nagging her like the cool breeze in November.

Just before leaving, she threw on a navy blue cloak that concealed her casual dress quite well, although her dress was casual, it still revealed much about her financial background and she preferred to remain neutral when it came to money upbringings.

Lucy walked out of the castle as normally as possible, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention. Which, was normal for her, especially back at the school. You were forced to recite documents if you were caught off school grounds.

_Horrible _documents.

Imagine Shakespeare meets Chaucer meets drunk English major with a bone to pick with females.

Lucy shivered at the frightful memory and took a step outside, breathing in the outdoors and catching the village of Nottingham out of the corner of her eye, just a wa down the road.

Thank god she ditched those heels, or she'd be walking on the stubs that were formerly her feet when she arrived.

She tugged her cloak tighter around her thin frame, clinging to the small amount of warmth it provided. It may have only been November, but it still brought harsh gales in the noontimes that felt like freezing cold fire against your skin.

Lucy looked ahead, and was honestly surprised when she saw absolutely no activity. All her memories of Nottingham had been of streets bustling with activity and hundreds of people making conversation and kids laughing and playing tag in the roads…

Not whistling wind and empty, clattering shutters.

Even the street looked darker, its familiar shine from the sunlight was absent and looked dusty and worn. The houses were decrepit and aged, and the familiar Saturday market was nonexistent. The market was _always _open on Saturdays, where could it possibly be?

Lucy pulled her cloak even tighter, hoping it would solve for her sudden feeling of loneliness. She had been so hoping for a warm welcome from all of her friends, yet all she saw were dim roads and dank houses.

Empty.

Everyone must've been inside their houses, but why? It wasn't nearly cold enough to scare people from going outdoors, was it?

Lucy felt like crying. She felt so alone and obsolete, everything around her had changed for the worst.

Her uncle was gone, her friends were gone, what else had to be taken from her in order for the world to be satisfied?

"_Child!_"

Lucy's head jerked up in surprise, the sharp sound piercing the thick silence like a sword.

A thin looking woman with silvery hair had her head poked out her creaky front door, a nervous expression painted across her lovely features.

_…__Mira?_

She hurriedly gestured for Lucy to come inside, and Lucy complied both eagerly and testily.

"Child, what in the _world _are you doing outside on collection day? You'll get eaten alive out there!" She scolded, shutting the door and slipping an intricate system of locks shut.

"Collection day?" Lucy asked, watching as the woman who she thought to be Mira hurry into her kitchen to fetch her some tea.

"Dear, dear, you really aren't from around here are you," she chided with a soft but sad laugh.

"Well…technically yes, but…it's been a while…" Lucy dropped her hint, hoping that Mira would recognize her even a little bit.

When Lucy was little, she used to play with Lisanna, Mira's younger sister, while Mira would bake warm cookies and bread fro all the neighborhood kids on Fridays before market day. Mira was always nice, she would wrap scratches and bruises that were acquired during hide-and-seek.

Ira popped her head out of the kitchen, her eyes narrowed in confusion to study Lucy.

"You used to live in Nottingham? Whatever is your name, dear?" Mira's silver bun shifted atop her head as she continued to stare at Lucy. She removed the hood of her cloak to reveal her messy blonde hair, bedraggled by the wind and her hood.

Mira's eyes widened in realization. "…Lucy?"

Lucy nodded in excitement, a smile breaking her face as they flew into a warm hug.

"Oh dear, it's been so long! And you're so _beautiful_, it's so good to see you!" Mira gushed, rubbing Lucy's back like her mother should.

"I missed all of you so much! A-and when I got here, everything was so different!" Lucy gasped, her hands wrapped around Mira's arms tentatively.

"Mira…what happened?"

Mira looked at Lucy with pity, her eyes ghosting a tragic history. "So much, Lucy. Once the war started…everything changed."

Lucy nodded, wanting to know more. Mira was reluctant to continue, but followed through due to the situation.

"Once the king left, Prince Zeref immediately stepped in. Everything changed Lucy, everything changed so fast…the taxes went up, the market days were cancelled, trading was limited. All of the strong men had gone off to war, including…Elfman." She said with a strangled breath.

"Oh Mira…I'm sorry." Lucy breathed, silently edging her to continue.

"Things only got worse…the taxes were too much for some people, and soon enough they started throwing people in jail who either couldn't pay the taxes, or refused to." Mira continued. "It only took a year and a half under Zeref's rule for the first public execution in a hundred years to occur. It was that old man, I don't know if you remember him or not, but he used to sit in his rocking chair in front of his house and yell at you kids for making a ruckus…he wouldn't pay the taxes, and well…"

Lucy remembered him. He was all limbs, gangly and lean as he leaned over his chair, his voice like the creaking of the floorboards underneath his aged shoes. He would scream and yell when the children got too loud, ironically filling the bustling street with even more noise.

"That's…terrible!" Lucy gasped, even though the old man was not one of her fondest memories, it didn't mean that he deserved to die. Mira nodded gravelly.

"That was about when people started getting scared. And angry. And…well…it's been that way ever since…" Mira ended her sad story on an even sadder note.

Lucy frowned, absorbing the information like a full sponge. She had been hit with enough bombshells for the day, but it seemed that the day wasn't even close to being over.

Recalling something Levy had said, Lucy asked a question that had been plaguing her tired mind.

"Mira, do you know anything about…a rebellion?"

Mira's eyes widened, but shrunk back to their normal size in a split second.

"So you've heard…well, where to begin…" Mira paused, the tea kettle singing. She went to retrieve the drink while I took a seat on one of her ratty chairs.

Mira walked up with a wobbly tray balanced on her hand, along with two cups and a sunny smile.

"Here you are," she handed Lucy a cup with wisping steam arising from the surface.

"Thank you," She said, rising the cup to her bottom lip and inhaling the hearthy scent.

"Where were we…? Oh, right, the rebellion…" Mira mused, sipping her tea as she set the tray down. "The rebellion started…hmm…two years ago, I believe. A group of young men, and now women too, well…to put it simply, they steal from the rich and give to the poor." Mira said, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"What...like, they rob rich people and give it to people who need it?" Lucy clarified, intrigued by the concept of the rebellion. In school she had learned about past uprisings, most of them not anything like what Mira was describing.

"Mhm. They've sure done their part, too. King Zeref is practically tearing his hair out because of them." Mira said. Lucy could tell she was being vague about the rebellion, there was no doubt in her mind that she had something to do with it.

"Mira, have they ever…helped you?" Lucy asked, not wanting to overstep her boundaries.

Mira pursed her lips, probably unsure of whether to tell the heir to the throne her secret.

"They're all good people, and you'd recognize most of them," she started, sipping her tea again. "But, yes, I owe my existence to them." She whispered. Lucy gaped, the kindest woman she knew was involved in a high stakes rebellion.

"Mira…I trust you." Lucy whispered as well, making up her mind surprisingly quick. "If you ever need my help, I'll be here. Just-"

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

Mira's eyes shot open. "Oh no, they're here! Lucy, you have to go!"

Mira ushered Lucy out through the back door with clear urgency. Lucy stumbled out of her house without even a goodbye as Mira hurriedly slammed the door shut so she could answer to the tax collectors.

What Mira didn't notice were the extra jewels Lucy had 'dropped' on the table.

She smiled to herself as she hurried away, towards the crook of the forest where she could take a shortcut back to the castle.

Lucy really didn't know what to think. From the looks of it, her kingdom had completely fallen apart under her cousin's rule. And the only seeming solution was for her uncle to return.

But that wasn't really an option. What was she supposed to do? They didn't teach this sort of thing in prep school…all they taught there was to sit quietly and wait to get married.

Lucy stopped just before going into the forest, her mind settled. There was no _way _she was going to do that, she didn't need a man to help her friends. She was going to get rid of Zeref by herself if that's what it took.

Satisfied with her ultimatum, she made her way back to the castle to begin her plans. But just before she plunged into the woods, something caught her eye.

A lone slip of paper, sloppily nailed to an oak tree but clearly designed to ensnare the eye. Not thinking of the consequences of her actions, she yanked the paper off of its hinge so she could read it better, faded letters and all.

_Wanted: for treason of the highest order;_

_The Red Dragon_

The Red Dragon?

Lucy's eyes skidded to the bottom of the slip, a rusty picture painted on.

The face was unmistakable, sharp jawline, cocky smile, eyes yielding mirth, and of course, spiky pink hair.

"Natsu…"

**my finished robin hood au #celebrate**


	2. the rebels

**welcome back! [hope youre not too upset by my negligence...oh well! read on!]**

* * *

><p>"Princess! Stop squirming!"<p>

"S-sorry! It just tickles so much!"

Lucy wiggled into her dress, tight around her waist and bust. Dangerously tight, in fact.

"Minerva! Are you sure it's supposed to be this tight?" She coughed, fiddling with the ribbons tied around the front.

"Of course I'm sure! If you weren't so fat, it wouldn't hurt so much." Minerva said strictly, tying bows elegantly and firmly.

"Ah…I'm sorry, I just thought that-AH!" Lucy yelped when she felt a pin puncture her waist.

"Whoops…" Minerva sighed and shrugged. "There, you're all done."

Lucy did a quick twirl, smiling brightly. Minerva's handiwork truly was fantastic, each stitch was like a word in a story, sewn together to make a gorgeous dress that made heads turn all around.

"Oh Minerva, it's gorgeous…but is all this really necessary? I'm just going on a trip to Locksley…" She pressed her hands to the sleeves of the dress softly.

"I know it's gorgeous, I made it. And no, it really isn't necessary. But this is what the king ordered you wear, and so I obey." Minerva bowed plastically and sashayed out the door.

"Oh! Minerva, can I ask you something? I've been trying to get some answers around the castle but so far nobody has-"

_Slam!_

Lucy lowered her hand, disappointed that yet another castle dweller had ignored her calls for help.

No matter who she asked, everybody seemed to have the same answer, or none at all. The rebellion is nothing for you to worry about princess, or those hoodlums are nothing but trouble, stay away from them.

However, Lucy just couldn't picture her childhood friend, Natsu, doing anything remotely illegal. Well, scratch that, she couldn't see him doing anything that would put someone in harms way. Like a rebellion.

"Princess Lucy!"

Lucy turned to see Lady Redfox, surprisingly enough. She had disappeared in the past day and Lucy had been eager to ask her some questions.

"Levy! I have to ask you something!" Lucy dashed down the hall, balancing daintily on her heels while also hoping that her dress wouldn't choke her to death.

"Of course princess, fire away." Levy said, motioning for Lucy to follow her down the hall.

"You can call me Lucy," Lucy said, although it was more of an ask than a tell.

"Oh, alright then Lucy. What questions do you have?" Levy asked, tucking the book she had been holding under her arm.

"Well…can you tell me about the rebellion? The rebels, I mean. Who are they?" Lucy asked.

"Oh…that's an interesting question. Well…I've never really met any of them personally, but I do know a little bit about their leader. Gajeel tells me stuff sometimes." Levy started, dipping down the staircase. "Their leader is ruthless, scary. There are rumors that even the king fears him." She whispered, careful so that no one could hear her scandalous words.

"Really?" Lucy felt herself ask.

"Mhm. The people call him the red dragon." She whispered, her voice even smaller and quieter than normal.

Lucy tripped over her shoes.

"S-sorry! Do go on!" She squeaked, regaining her balance.

"Ok, well, I hear that he was born in Nottingham, or Locksley. One of the rural villages. He really started rebelling about a month after Zeref's crowning, stealing stuff, and attacking guards. He's awfully good with the bow and arrow. Gajeel once told me he shot a man from a mile away, on the top of a cliff." Levy mimicked the firing of an arrow as she reached the foot of the stairs.

"Really," Lucy breathed out.

"Yes. Nobody knows his real name, but he has pink hair, and he wears a black cloak. I saw him once you know. Scariest moment of my life, he jumped on top of the carriage I was sitting in and he took everything. It was a little bit impressive, how fast he was." She said softly.

As they neared the door, Lucy tugged at the sides of her dress uncomfortably.

"Oh dear, you aren't wearing _that _on your trip to Locksley, are you?" Levy asked, shocked by her naiveté.

"W-well, this is what Minerva told me I had to wear…" Lucy admitted sheepishly, a little bit embarrassed.

"Ah, well…you should probably put something on a little bit more comfortable. And don't be bothered by Minerva, she's seen a lot more than a girl should see." Levy said lowly.

Well, that covered anything from watching her parents get murdered to seeing someone kick a puppy.

"Alright, I'll go change, thanks Levy." Lucy said, beginning the long trip back up the stairs.

"Take care Lucy, and be careful out there, those royal carriages are practically bandit magnets." Levy muttered, shaking her head solemnly.

"I will," Lucy promised, hiking up the steps. Darn dress, it was tight…everywhere.

As she walked in, she noticed a small commotion towards the dining hall.

"-And I _won't _have a woman _anywhere _near our weaponry! Preposterous!"

Lucy peered in, curious as to what would stir this.

"-If you would speak less of my wife, I'd appreciate if you'd do it elsewhere." A cool, masculine voice demanded.

"I can take care of this myself, thank you." Came the sharp reply, oddly enough, a woman's voice, strong and proud.

"Lady Vastia, it is extremely inappropriate for you to wield a sword under any circumstances!"

"Is it inappropriate for a man to hold a baby then? Isn't that a woman's job?"

"Well, no-"

"I'd appreciate if you wouldn't belittle me simply because of my gender, if you'll excuse me," the clacking of heels disrupted Lucy's spying and she did her best to look like she was actually doing something.

Unfortunately, the woman was too clever to fall for that.

"Spying, are we?" she concluded. Lucy was at a loss for words.

"Erm, well, I-"

"It's quite alright, I understand that you are the crown princess," she questioned. Lucy could only stare.

This woman was gorgeous, the kind of beauty that made people stop and stare, the kind of beauty that Lucy wished she could have.

"Yes, that's correct." Lucy finally spoke, offering a weak smile.

"Hm. Maybe you'll be able to make the proper changes towards inequality in this kingdom." She said stilly, almost commanding. Her accent was much thicker than Lucy's own, but she still held the sort of grace that was hard to come across.

"I…yes, that's definitely an issue I will be focusing on." Lucy confirmed. The woman smiled, and Lucy almost breathed out in relief.

"Excellent. I'm Lady Vastia, but you may call me Juvia." She waved her hand and walked away, leaving Lucy in awe of her presence.

However, she still had a mission to do.

After she changed into something light and comfy, a simple blue shirt with pants, and of course, an extreme lack of heels, she ran back outside, hoping that she hadn't missed the carriage.

"Princess Lucy, what on earth are you wearing?"

Lucy felt her face fall for the second time that day.

"D-do I look bad?" She asked, tipping her body from side to side.

"Well, no…you just look…normal." The servant commented, opening the carriage door for her.

"Ah…thank you." Lucy decided, stepping into the carriage and taking the cloak that the driver offered her.

"To Locksley, am I correct?" He asked, tightening on the reigns.

"Yes please." Lucy nodded, watching as the rows of guards followed the carriage reluctantly. It was a bit nerve racking, she'd never traveled t a village with bodyguards before.

She'd never needed them.

The coach came to a jostling start, and Lucy lost herself in her thought.

What would Locksley look like now? Did it still have those pretty geraniums in the summer?

Lucy heard the laughter of the two guards sitting in the back of the carriage.

So strange. What were they even protecting her from? Bandits? The rebels that Levy had warned her about?

She was in a royal carriage, there was no doubt that Zeref had rode in this carriage before, maybe she was in genuine danger…

_No, I'm not. _

Lucy dug her shoes into the floor of the carriage, trying to amuse herself but failing epically.

The guards laughed again, even harder. By now they had drew Lucy's interest and she pressed her ear to the side to listen.

"-practically sliced him in half. Hell of a woman, she is."

"Sure, sure, but she doesn't know her place. A lady should obey her husband."

Could they be talking about Lady Vastia? She had been near the weaponry, but chopping someone in half!?

The coach lurched forward suddenly, and Lucy pitched ahead and her face slammed against the front wall.

"Owch…" she squeaked, her hand flying to her stinging forehead.

"What was that?" She heard one of the guards inquire.

"Probably just a rock. Hey, what's the hold up?!" The other guard responded.

"Hush, both of you!" The coach whispered urgently. Lucy fell silent and tried to get a better look outside the cloaked window.

Nothing but trees surrounded them, and not the familiar trees from her childhood. These trees touched the sky with their branches and shrouded the forest from the sun, so much that she could've sworn it to be the evening.

"Can we keep it moving? We don't have all day!" One of the guards yelled.

"Be quiet, both of you! Do you want to be _killed_?"

Lucy jumped a little bit at the severity of the coachman's words. _Killed_? Were there really murderers in the forest?

"You don't mean…" One of the guards whispered, Lucy having to press her ear against the door in order to hear his less than audible voice.

"Get down!"

Lucy ducked in fright, and the second she did there was a crackling sound of broken glass. The window that her face had been inches away from seconds before was now shattered, and glass was splattered against the floor of the carriage. Lucy covered the top of her head with her hands in case anything else decided to miraculously explode.

She heard the guard's garbled voices from outside the carriage, but she couldn't understand any of the words.

She lifted herself up slowly, curiosity grabbing her by the collar to see what had caused her window to abruptly combust.

An arrow, pointed and black, was fastened to the carriage wall, where her head had been a few seconds ago.

"That's…weird…" she said softly, picking at something frayed and white on the arrow. It ripped off unexpectedly, and it was then Lucy realized that it was a note. She unfurled it eagerly and read the chicken scratch it contained.

_Dear Zeref_

_Do us all a favor. Stop making this so easy for me._

_The Red Dragon_

Lucy squinted her eyes at the crudeness of the letter. A taunt to the king was one of the riskiest things someone could hope to accomplish, especially someone as high-strung as Zeref.

Lucy heard the yelling of a guard much closer to her at this point. Then, something completely out of the ordinary happened.

A young, familiar, silver-haired girl popped open the carriage door and looked inside, a knowing smile across her bright pink lips.

"Happy birthday Zeref!" She exclaimed jokingly, then frowning almost immediately after she noticed that Lucy was the only one in the carriage.

"Um…hi?" Lucy offered lamely. She had little to no experience with rebels, she'd just have to try her luck.

The happiness in the girl's bright blue eyes faded. "Oh. This is embarrassing. We thought you were Zeref. You are in the royal carriage, after all." She said, then realization dawned on her.

"Wait a second…Lucy? Is that…?"

"Lisanna?" Lucy asked, recognizing the petite girl seconds after her realization.

"Oh my god! Lucy – you…you're back! This is _great_! We actually have someone who's closer to the crown than _Zeref_ – Gray! Get your ass over here!" Lisanna proclaimed excitedly, giving Lucy a chaste hug and pulling her out of the carriage.

"Just lemme tie these guys up…" Gray mumbled, tying the unconscious guards to the carriages wheels. "They're gonna feel that in the morning…"

Lucy, still dazed and confused, clutching the letter to Zeref in her left hand, watched as Lisanna excitedly babbled about how happy she was that she had returned. Lucy could only nod, she was still hazy after being almost shot in the face.

"What's up, Lis? Where's Zeref?" Gray asked after he finished tying them up. Gray, Lucy recognized as being the farmer's son they used to play hide-and-go-seek with as kids. He had gotten outrageously muscular, but still had his same dark swept hair and brown eyes.

"He's not here – but we have someone _better,_" she declared, grabbingLucy and presenting her like a prized horse. "Ta-da!"

Gray cocked an eyebrow at her, then his expression softened. "No way…" he gasped.

Lucy gaped. She had no idea she was this big of a deal back at home. She hardly did anything noteworthy, she just played and adventured, like any kid would.

"Hi…Gray." She greeted. He fell to his knees and cradled his head in his hands.

"It's over…we did it…" he whispered to himself.

"What's…going on…" Lucy wondered. Lisanna was still jumping up and down.

"Where's Natsu? He'll lose his _mind _over this – he's been hyping everybody up for Lucy for like…twelve years now." Lisanna bubbled.

"What? Natsu what? He did the what about me?" Lucy begged, losing her princess demeanor in three short sentences and looking at the two stunned teens for answers.

"Hold on," Lisanna promised her answers but held a hand out to her when she spotted something moving amongst the trees.

"Natsu! Natsu, get your _ass _out here!" She called barbarically. There was a rustling in the trees, and a man suddenly flew out from the top of one about a hundred feet back.

"Did you get Zeref?" He yelled, breaking into a sprint to get to the apprehended carriage.

"Nope!" Lisanna popped the 'p' proudly and threw and arm around Lucy's shoulders. She'd normally be overjoyed, if she had any idea what was going on.

"Who's this?" Natsu asked as he neared the small group of people. His eyes went from confused, to shocked, to weird, much like what Gray's looked like when he first recognized her.

"Is that you, Lucy?" He asked, walking extremely close to her until their chests were touching. She tensed uncomfortably at the unfamiliar hardness of the muscles under his chest. He had changed a lot, matured much more.

"Y-yes?" She answered, lightly inhaling the scent of embers and ginger root on him. It smelt oddly tantalizing, for a rebel who supposedly lived in the woods.

"Holy shit," he exclaimed, wrapping his thick arms around her torso and spinner her around, feet dangling off the ground. "Oh my god – it's _you_! And I…I _shot _you, holy shit Luce, I'm sorry!" He apologized as he returned her to the ground. Dizzily, Lucy nodded.

"Th-that's ok…can you guys tell me what's going on?" She requested tiredly.

"Oh. Right." Natsu remembered, stroking his chin in mock thought. "How 'bout we get a drink first?"

.

.

.

Down the hill, there was a polite little tavern that Natsu, Gray, and Lisanna introduced Lucy to. At first, she had doubts as to whether or not a group of wanted rebels could just mosey into a bar at any point in time, but Natsu shrugged it off and said that nobody in this town would turn them in, with complete confidence.

Evidently, he was correct, because the second the four of them entered the patrons of the bar cheered.

"It's The Red Dragon, what brings you here today?" The bartender teased. Natsu smiled and laughed along.

"We're here to show our friend the ropes, she's new to town." Natsu said, putting Lucy up front to show.

"Hi." She greeted awkwardly, giving them all a quiet little wave. One of the drinkers wolf-whistled and Gray hit him upside the back of his head.

"Very well then, what'll it be?"

Natsu ordered for Lucy, seeing as she was unfamiliar with the menu. They all sat down at a booth in the corner, away from prying eyes, and ears.

"So Lucy, when did you get back?" Lisanna asked.

"Just yesterday, I spoke to your sister, actually," Lucy commented, remembering her haunting run-in with Mirajane. That had been quite the rude awakening.

"Oh, really? How is she? I ought to bring her some supplies, she should be running low…" Lisanna mumbled to herself.

"Anyways," Natsu interrupted, taking a seat next to Lucy and looking her square in the eyes. I think the question that's on all of our minds is – are you up to the task?" He asked, dead seriousness etched into his handsome face. Lucy felt a little intimidated.

"And, uh…what task am I doing again?" She asked anxiously.

Natsu's serious face broke into a smile. "Drinking, of course!" He handed her a mug of something bubbly and vaguely soapy-smelling.

The last thing alcoholic that Lucy had drank was wine at her school graduation back in London, and that had come back to bite her, _hard, _the very next morning.

"Um, I'm not-"

Both Gray and Lisanna practically downed theirs in one chug. It was miraculous, really.

"You don't have to drink if you don't want to," Natsu said to her in a low voice. Oddly, she felt comforted by his words.

"I'll try it," she said, and slowly, she put her lips on the mug and drank the liquid.

It was…pretty much awful.

She swallowed it anyway.

"That was…interesting." She admitted, tasting the pure, bitterness of pure alcohol and root. They were probably used to it, but all Lucy was used to was London food, fairly different from anything close to Locksley.

"Alright, I'll take it." Gray said, taking her indifference as a sign that she was adamant towards the drink.

"So…why were you guys so happy to see me back there? Did I do something of interest?" Lucy asked after they had all finished their drinks.

"Because we missed you!" Lisanna said happily.

"…and because, you know…" Gray looked at Natsu expectedly, he was going to let him take this one.

Natsu nodded gravely, then he looked at Lucy, making sure that all of her attention was on him. "Lucy, listen to me. We've been under Zeref's reign for too long. The king isn't coming back anytime soon, we know that now." He explained. "We've been waiting for you to return, you're the last blood relative of the king who's not away at war. _You _could take over the crown, even if it's just until the king finally does come back."

Lucy's lips parted. She wanted to say something, _anything_, but no words came out.

"Lucy, you're our last hope." Lisanna put in bravely.

"Yeah, Lucy we really need you." Gray added for moral support.

"I…I don't…" Lucy whispered, unsure of how to process the whole situation. They wanted her…to become _queen_?

"Oh my god…are you on _Zeref's _side?" Lisanna asked in horror.

"N-no! That's not…I'm just…I don't know if I would be a good queen…at all. I'm not nearly ready, I'm only nineteen…" Lucy gulped. She feared that Nottingham under her rule might be even worse than Zeref, although, instead of cruelty and oppression, it would be poverty and war.

"Lucy. _Anything _will be better than what Zeref is doing right now. I have faith in you." Natsu convinced.

"H-how do you know that Zeref will step down? What makes me more qualified than him?" Lucy asked, deadly quiet in fear that someone would hear them conspiring. She knew that if Zeref heard anything short of a coup, he'd have each and every one of their heads on a silver platter.

"The counselors want him out," Lisanna said excitedly.

"-they've been trying to get rid of him for years. If you ask Zeref to step down, you'll have their full support. The council will vote, and you will _win _Lucy." Gray promised.

Reading Lucy's mind, Natsu added something of importance. "We have people on the inside." Then he winked.

"Don't be cryptic Natsu, the poor girl is probably overwhelmed. Her dick cousin is busy dicking around, and now _she _has to clean up after him." Lisanna said, summarizing all of Lucy's feelings into one sloppy sentence. "Don't worry Luce, we've got your back."

And with that, Lucy felt her fears wash away like the sand on a worn beach.

"You're right," she said, with newfound, steely resolve in her honey brown eyes. "I can do this. I can be queen." _If it means I can stop all the suffering Zeref has brought on_…

Natsu sent her a secret smile. "To Princess Lucy," he said lowly, bowing his head like she was royalty.

Oh wait…

"To Lucy," Lisanna and Gray agreed.

Even though she spent the day catching up with her old friends, Lucy couldn't shake the feeling that something with their plan was off, and if she didn't figure it out soon, things would in her kingdom would go very, very wrong.

* * *

><p><strong>hello!/**

**excuse my absence, this chapter has been coming alon slowly and it's ended kind of weirdly, but I think ive figured out what I want to do, so hopefully you guys wont get sick of me by then :)**

**as far as introducing the characters, I hope u guys like feminist!juvia and robin hood!natsu. (I feel like they all love to troll zeref, despite him being an evil astermind) {also...I didn't know they were **spoiler** brothers when I started this so lets just pretend that never happened...or not...ill figure something out...hopefully...}**

**thank you so much for your amazing reviews, they make my day! Be sure to leave one after you finish reading :)**


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